Scuba diving trim and position control device and method of use

ABSTRACT

A trim and position control device and method comprising a generally ring-shaped, continuous and unbroken weight formed with a central elongated opening therethrough. The opening is preferably shaped like an elliptical diamond and enables placement of the weight over a pillar valve and pillar valve rotatable pressure control handle onto the top surface of a diving tank. The bottom surface of the weight is preferably concave to promote proper nesting upon the top surface of the diving tank. The weight is secured in place by the connection of a primary stage regulator to the pillar valve of the diving tank, wherein the primary stage regulator is connected to a buoyancy compensator device and second stage regulator. This prevents the weight from being inadvertently detached. The weight enables a diver to maintain desired trim and position in conjunction with the inflation of the buoyancy compensator device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/251,986 filed Oct. 15, 2009, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to SCUBA diving gear, and moreparticularly, to a device and method for promoting proper trim andposition during a dive while underwater and upon surfacing through theuse of a specially formed weight installed on the top of a diving tank.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known in SCUBA diving that a diver must compensate for thenatural buoyancy of the diver and the buoyancy of the wet suit typicallyworn by the diver. This is primarily done with weights. Additionally,when SCUBA diving, a diver should be taught that as soon as he reaches adesired depth, he must add a small amount of air into his buoyancycompensator device (“BC” or “BCD”), such as shown in U.S. Pat. No.5,662,433 to Seligman, incorporated herein by reference, in order toattain neutral buoyancy. In addition, he should be aware of theimportance of having arranged the weights carried in or on his equipmentso as to achieve the proper trim.

During the dive, once neutral buoyancy is achieved, a properly trimmeddiver will tend to maintain a horizontal or slight head-down position.Improper trimming causes the diver to have trouble maintaininghorizontal orientation and, as a result, many divers tend to rotatetoward a vertical upright orientation affecting their ability toadequately view the sea floor and other structures and potentiallycausing the diver's fins to come in contact with and damage a reef orsea floor. During the equipment set-up before the dive, transferring anappropriate amount of weight from the weight belt or weight pocketlocation to a position atop the air tank and behind the diver's headwill correct this problem.

Upon surfacing at the conclusion of a dive, the desired trim orientationnow becomes vertical with the head either upright or in a slighthead-back position. Upon surfacing, the diver should inflate the airbladder in the BCD. In current BCD designs, an air pocket tends to bepositioned behind the diver's head, resulting in a near vertical, slighthead-forward, nose-down tendency. This is undesirable for a diver whohas taken the regulator out of his mouth to breathe fresh air becausethe head-forward position creates a propensity for the diver toinadvertently aspirate water causing discomfort and potential panic. Thepresent invention is secured atop the dive tank and behind the BCDbladder, thus its weight acts as an opposing directional force andallows the diver's head to be in a more favorable face-up position.

Various weighting systems have been developed to address the trimmingproblem, wherein weights are attached to the diver's BCD or to thediving tank. These weights are all designed to be easily detachableunderwater. A resulting problem with prior art weighting systemsdesigned for attachment to diving tanks is they are prone to accidentaldetachment, and an unexpected loss of weight can result in frustrationwith trimming or a dangerous rapid rise to the surface which can causeinjury or death.

Accordingly, what is needed is a weight that can be used to promoteproper trim and position during a dive while underwater and uponsurfacing, and cannot be inadvertently detached.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The current invention is an improvement over prior art weighting systemsin that it cannot be accidentally detached, it does not require anyadjusting during the dive, and it promotes both the proper horizontaltrim and position needed at depth and the proper vertical trim andposition needed upon surfacing. More particularly, the current inventionis a SCUBA diving trim and position control device and method comprisinga generally ring-shaped, continuous, unbroken weight formed with acentral elongated opening. The opening is preferably shaped like anelliptical diamond with a long axis and a short axis. The weightpreferably has a bottom concave surface and a flat top surface.

Due to the design of the opening of the weight, in a preferredembodiment the weight should normally only be able to be placed over apillar valve and pillar valve rotatable pressure control handle with thelong axis of the opening of the weight in a parallel plane with thepillar valve and rotatable control handle of the tank. However, forexample, an alternate design of a weight with an opening in the shape ofa circle would function, but it would have several drawbacks includingless stability of the weight on the tank.

In use, the weight is placed over the pillar valve of a diving tank andonto the top surface of the diving tank. It can then be rotated 90degrees to take advantage of the short axis of the weight opening forpurposes of securing the weight underneath the pillar valve rotatablepressure control handle. A primary stage regulator is then attached tothe pillar valve, wherein the primary stage regulator is connected tothe BCD via a first hose and to a breathing regulator via a second hose.The primary stage regulator can also be attached to other devices, suchas a pressure gauge and back-up breathing regulator via additionalhoses. Thus, the weight is secured in place, thereby enabling a diver tomaintain proper trim in conjunction with inflation of the BCD whileavoiding inadvertent detachment of the weight.

The method and device of the present invention may be achieved at lowcost especially due to the invention using inherent properties andqualities already present on a diving tank and a primary stageregulator, thereby eliminating the use of an additional fastening systemfor the weight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the preferred embodiment of theweight of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the weight.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the weight.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the weight.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the weight.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the weight.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the weight taken along line 7-7 inFIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the weight taken along line 8-8 inFIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of theweight showing a coating on the weight.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the weight and diving tank illustratingthe manner in which the weight is placed on the tank.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the weight placed upon the diving tankillustrating the manner in which the weight is rotated after placementover the pillar valve.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a BCD secured to a diving tank, whereinthe weight of the present invention is secured between the top of thetank and the primary stage regulator attached to the BCD.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, shown in FIGS. 1-12, is an unbroken ring-shapedweight and the use of the weight for SCUBA diving. Referring to FIGS.1-9, a preferred embodiment of the weight 10 is shown with an opening 12therethrough. The weight 10 preferably has a flat top surface 14 and abottom concave surface 16. The weight 10 is preferably polygonal inoverall shape with the opening 12 having an elliptical diamond shape.The opening 12 has a long axis A and a short axis B. The weight 10 ispreferably coated with a coating 18 that protects the weight 10 andcushions the weight 10 when secured atop the diving tank 20. The coating18 is preferably a soft plastic coating having a frictional effect toresist sliding when secured atop the diving tank 20.

Referring to FIGS. 10-12, the weight 10 is shown being placed onto adiving tank 20 and secured thereto. Specifically, FIG. 9 illustrates adiving tank 20 having a pillar valve 22 and a pillar valve rotatablepressure control handle 24. The weight 10 is placed over the pillarvalve 22 and control handle 24 by aligning the long axis A of theopening 12 over the pillar valve 22 and control handle 24. FIG. 10illustrates the weight 10 on the top surface of the diving tank 20 andbeing rotated ninety degrees for purposes of securing the weight 10underneath the pillar valve 22 and control handle 24. FIG. 11illustrates the assembly of a buoyancy compensator device 26 fastened tothe diving tank 20. The weight 10 is further secured to the tank by theattachment of a primary stage regulator 28 having a rotatable pressurecontrol handle 34 to the pillar valve 22, wherein the primary stageregulator 30 is connected to the buoyancy compensator device 26 via afirst air hose 30 and to a secondary stage breathing regulator (notshown) via a second air hose 32.

Accordingly, the present invention comprises a SCUBA diving trimming andposition control device and method of using the device with a divingtank. The device is preferably an elliptical, circular, or polygonalshaped weight 10 having an unbroken and continuous member and anelongated opening 12 therethrough generally shaped like an ellipticaldiamond having a short axis B and long axis A, thus allowing the weight10 to be placed over a pillar valve 22 and pillar valve rotatablepressure control handle 24 of a diving tank 20. The weight 10 preferablyhas a flat top surface 14 and a bottom concave surface 16 to promoteproper nesting upon the top surface of the diving tank 20.

In use, the weight 10 is placed over the pillar valve 22 and onto thetop surface of the diving tank 20. The weight 10 is preferably rotatedninety degrees to trap it under the pillar valve 22 and pillar valverotatable pressure control handle 24 by way of the opening's 12 shortaxis B. A primary stage regulator 28 is then attached to the pillarvalve 22, wherein the primary stage regulator 28 is connected to abuoyancy compensator device 26 via a first air hose 30 and to asecondary stage breathing regulator (not shown) via a second air hose32. The primary stage regulator 28 and the attachments thereto trap theweight 10 between the diving tank 20 and the primary stage regulator 28.Thus, the weight 10 cannot be inadvertently detached. Upon diving, thediver will fill his buoyancy compensator device 26 with an appropriateamount of air to maintain a proper horizontal trim and position.

In the present invention, a weight preferably of three pounds willtypically adequately control trim and position for SCUBA divers in mostsituations with varying: tank type, size and weight; diver weight andsize; buoyancy compensating devices; weight belts and other diverrelated equipment. However, a weight of smaller or greater mass may beused up to a mass which is appropriate for the given application andequipment. A weight of two to four pounds would typically be adequate.Although lead is the most feasible material to use for the weight, itcan be made of any suitable material.

In addition, the weight 10 would preferably be coated with a protectivefrictional coating 18. This coating 18 could be rubber, vinyl, plasticor the like. The coating 18 on the weight 10 would protect the weightfrom corrosion, dampen any vibration of movement of the weight 10 on thediving tank 20, resist sliding during the dive, and further promoteproper nesting of the weight 10 on the diving tank 20 due to itsfrictional nature.

While the invention has been shown and described in some detail withreference to specific exemplary embodiments, there is no intention thatthe invention be limited to such detail. On the contrary, the inventionis intended to include any alternative or equivalent embodiments thatfall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein.

1. A method of using a weight to control proper trim and position whileSCUBA diving, comprising the steps of: a) placing said weight over apillar valve of a diving tank, wherein said weight is continuous andunbroken with an opening therethrough; b) bringing said weight to restonto a top surface of said diving tank; c) fastening a primary stageregulator to said pillar valve of said diving tank, wherein said primarystage regulator is connected to a buoyancy compensator device and asecond stage breathing regulator, wherein said weight is trapped betweensaid top surface of said diving tank and said primary stage regulator;and d) inflating said buoyancy compensator device with an appropriateamount of air so as to achieve a desired amount of horizontal orvertical diver trim and position.
 2. A method as recited in claim 1,wherein said opening through said weight is centrally located andelongated in shape.
 3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein saidopening is generally an elliptical diamond in shape and has a short axisand a long axis that intersect at the center of said opening.
 4. Amethod as recited in claim 1, wherein said weight has a flat top surfaceand a bottom concave surface.
 5. A method as recited in claim 1, whereinsaid weight has a protective frictional coating.
 6. A method as recitedin claim 1, further comprising the step of rotating said weight 90degrees after bringing said weight to rest on said top surface of saiddiving tank, thereby securing said weight beneath a rotatable handle ofsaid pillar valve.
 7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein anexternal perimeter of said weight is circular in shape.
 8. A method asrecited in claim 1, wherein an external perimeter of said weight iselliptical in shape.
 9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein anexternal perimeter of said weight is polygonal in shape.
 10. A devicefor use on a SCUBA diving tank to promote proper trim and positioncontrol while diving, comprising a ring-shaped weighted member that iscontinuous and unbroken, wherein said weighted member has an openingtherethrough for placement of said weighted member over a pillar valveof a diving tank and onto a top surface of the diving tank, wherein abottom surface of said weighted member is concave to conform to the topsurface of the diving tank.
 11. The device as recited in claim 10,wherein said opening through said weighted member is centrally locatedand elongated in shape.
 12. The device as recited in claim 11, whereinsaid opening through said weighted member is generally an ellipticaldiamond in shape and has a short axis and a long axis that intersect atthe center of said opening, wherein said long axis of said openingpromotes placement of said weight over the pillar valve and said shortaxis of said opening promotes securing said weighted member under saidpillar valve.
 13. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the surfaceof said weighted member is coated with a protective frictional coating.14. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein an external perimeter ofsaid weighted member is circular.
 15. The device as recited in claim 10,wherein an external perimeter of said weighted member is polygonal. 16.The device as recited in claim 10, wherein an external perimeter of saidweighted member is elliptical.